Elsa Roth and her best friend Olivia are excited to tag along on a month-long expedition to study orcas in the San Juan Islands. But when a young whale is found separated from his pod things take an unexpected turn. Elsa soon finds herself caught up in a battle for August the orphaned whale. An aquarium with a questionable reputation wants him but the San Juan Marine Mammal Sanctuary where Elsa and Olivia are staying is focused on the whale's rehab and release. That however is something that's never been successfully done before. It's up to Elsa and the rest of the sanctuary staff to keep August safe and teach him how to live on his own. The whale's survival depends on it.